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The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has expressed concern regarding the ongoing dispute involving the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), describing the situation as a form of self-help and economic sabotage that could undermine Nigeria’s delicate economic recovery.
In a statement released in Lagos by its Director-General, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, NECA urged the Minister of Labour and Employment to step in without delay, stressing that allowing the issue to escalate could negatively affect job creation, investment drive, and the nation’s overall development.
According to the statement: “Conflict is an inevitable feature of the labour ecosystem, and Nigeria has statutory and institutional frameworks designed to address any disputes, including the Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP) and the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN). Any action capable of discouraging investment, undermining enterprises' sustainability, or harming the workers that the unions claim to protect will be counterproductive. While trade unions have the legitimate right to embark on industrial action, such rights must be exercised responsibly and within the bounds of the law."
“It is unacceptable for any union to conscript or coerce those not interested in its action or disrupt the operations of legitimate businesses not party to the dispute. Treating Institutions of labour administration with disdain and resorting to self-help is not only absurd but also against all known Conventions and Recommendations. When employers or workers are aggrieved, there are Institutions created to adjudicate or arbitrate in such matters. Nigeria’s recovering economy cannot be sacrificed on the altar of actions and pronouncements that are alien to global and local industrial relations practice."
“Uninformed and disruptive actions that could jeopardise the nation’s economic survival are neither envisaged nor acceptable in global labour practice. NECA will not be a passive onlooker as the foundation of Nigeria’s labour ecosystem is trampled upon. While we acknowledge the right to strike, such rights cannot infringe on the rights of others or threaten the survival of enterprises.”
Referring to international labour guidelines, including the International Labour Organisation’s Conventions 87 and 98, the NECA Director-General reiterated the association’s adherence to international labour standards, decent employment, and ethical business practices. He maintained that the protection given to union leaders under international conventions does not cover acts of sabotage, coercion, or any conduct that could endanger legitimate businesses or compromise national stability.
Appealing to the Minister of Labour and Employment for urgent intervention, Oyerinde said: “With Nigeria sending one of the highest delegations to the ILO Conference annually, it is curious that basic industrial relations principles, Conventions, and Recommendations remain poorly applied.”
He advocated for the matter to be resolved through lawful and productive engagement, warning that a lack of decisive action could place the country’s economic stability, employment growth, investment climate, and overall national progress at risk.
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